Somethings Don't Change
by MysterySilk
Summary: Sequel to Endings bring Beginnings.  James had finally convinced Lily to go on a date with him in Diagon Alley. Will things go the way James had planned? Or will another screaming match be started? Read and find out.


It took Lily Evans about a day and half of being home that made her realize it was all over. She had darted towards her room and just spent the whole afternoon crying, not being able to get over the fact she was now an adult in the wizarding world. Her mother had attempted to get her out of her room, but gave up after a few minutes, knowing it must have been slightly hard for her daughter.

A few hours later, Lily had headed downstairs and was just snacking on some fruit in her kitchen when an owl pecking at the window caused her to nearly drop the grape she was going to eat. She walked over and opened the window, recognizing the owl slightly. She took the letter that was carefully tied on its leg off and gave the owl a small piece of apple before it flew out the window again.

Lily went back to the table just as her sister, Petunia, came in, a smile drawn on her skinny, bony face. She saw Lily and her face dropped. "Oh god, I forgot you came home yesterday. Stay out of my way. Vernon," she began, sighing at the sound of her fiancées name, causing Lily to gag slightly, "doesn't know about _your kind_ and he is coming over tonight for dinner, could you possibly not be here?"

Lily sighed and shook her head. "Oh Petty, this is as much my house as it is yours. I don't have any reason to leave."

"Lily! You're just a freak. You just want to scare Vernon off, not like you can. You can't even get a guy for yourself. At least I have mine." Petunia smiled, looking a certain picture on the wall. "Get over it dear, you're just going to end up all alone, like a sad, ugly old hag!" she finished off, smirking as she knew she had gotten to her little sister. "Ciao." She said, waving slightly as she left the kitchen.

Lily rolled her eyes at her sister and sat back in her old chair and looked at the letter in her hands. She saw a quick scrawl of her name on the outer part of the letter and recognized it to be the writing of James Potter. She unrolled the piece of parchment and a small coin fell onto the floor. She picked it up and looked at it for a moment. She shrugged and read the letter.

_Hey Lily!_

_Okay, meet me at 2 at Madame Jessops. It's by Gringotts and Madame Malkins._

_I can't wait till Wednesday._

_See you soon,_

_James_

_P.S. I've sent Charlie back home, seeing as you already agreed to our date, I hope you can make it. If you can't, I'll know by Wednesday when I'm the only goof there without a date._

_P.S.S The attached coin is a portkey. Just say 'Portus' and it will transport you to the Leaky Cauldron._

"Wednesday? That's four days away…" Lily noted quietly to herself. "Madame Jessops? Hmm, I don't think I've ever been in there." She stated as she folded the letter back up. She finished off her small bowl of fruit and headed back upstairs to finish unpacking all of her school things.

Wednesday

Lily had woken up that morning around 10 A.M. and smiled when she realized it was Wednesday and that meant it was time for her date with James. She got up and headed towards the shower, quickly washing herself over. She finished her shower right when Petunia needed it and Lily smiled, seeing as there was no reason for her sister to yell at her today.

She quickly dried herself off with a simple drying spell, since she was able to do magic at home now. She put on a nice, baby blue dress with spaghetti straps and the end of it flowed out and went to about three inches above her knee.. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided on her hair being half up, half down with two tendrils going down her face.

She took a few spins in her mirror and smiled when she decided she looked good enough to go. She carefully slipped on a pair of black ballerina flats and realized she would need to bring her wand with her and she placed it into her small purse and checked herself one last time and headed downstairs, her parents sitting in the kitchen.

"Lily, why are you dressed so nicely today?" her father, Zachary asked his youngest daughter. Charlotte, Lily's mother, looked up when her husband spoke. Her eyes landed on his daughter and she smiled softly.

"Isn't it obvious? Lily here has a little meeting with someone, a boy perhaps from school?" Charlotte stated. Lily could feel her cheeks heat up slightly.

"Yes, actually, I am," she stated calmly, looking at her father, not knowing if he'd be okay with this. To her surprise, his mouth curved lightly.

"What is his name, Lily?" Charlotte asked. Lily bit her lip and looked back at her father.

"Mum, can I just go? I'm going to be late." She whined softly. "Please, you don't want me to ruin my reputation of being on time all the time, do you?"

Zachary rolled his eyes at his daughter. "Lily, just go. You're mother just wants to ask if the boy you are going out with is more attractive then the, erm, boy, your sister is engaged to." He stated, his face grimacing lightly. Lily let out a giggle.

"Yes, he is better looking then Vernon," Lily said, giggling more. "Ciao! I'll be home later." She stated as she walked out of the room, hearing her father chuckle. Lily walked into the living room and took out the coin. She whispered the word and felt a pull at her naval and gave a light squeal as she closed her eyes tight.

She felt herself thrown onto the ground and against the bar, causing a groan to escape her lips. She stood up and found herself in a nearly empty pub. She looked around and saw Tom, who smiled at her. "Hello Miss, Diagon Alley?" he asked softly. She nodded and straightened herself up. He pointed towards an old looking door and she nodded, after thanking him. She took out her wand and tapped the bricks lightly.

Lily smiled as the little village came into view and walked towards all the scurrying people. Her red hair swirled around her slightly as she looked around for the café. She found it near the bank and saw a certain brunette leaning against the gate, checking his pocket watch. She smiled lightly and approached him.

James had been waiting for a few minutes and looked up and his jaw nearly dropped when he saw the girl he had been dreaming over for the past 3 years walking towards him, the dress she was wearing tight against her body. "Hey Lily." He smiled.

Lily smiled lightly. "Hey James." She said softly as she looked at him and noticed his hair was slightly less unruly then usually. "So, we have a table? Or we just going to stand out here the whole time?" she asked, watching his mouth grin.

"Of course not, Lily, come along." He smiled, holding his arm out for her, which Lily took. He led them in the café and a waiter led them to a table right by the window. James pulled out the chair and let Lily sit down and get comfortable before sitting down in his own chair. Lily noticed this and smiled to herself as she slipped her napkin over her lap. "So, Lily, how's your summer been going so far?"

"It's been fine. My sister has been a tad annoying, she's getting married next winter…" she trailed off.

"Oh, sorry if I'm going out of line here, but you don't seem like you really like your sister." James said, noticing Lily's facial features.

Lily smiled softly. "Honestly, she hates me. She's called me a freak since I first was accepted to Hogwarts actually. My parents told me she's just jealous how I'm so gifted and she's not. But I know better." Lily stated, looking at the table for a moment, before focusing her green eyes back on the hazel eyed face.

"Lily, I'm sorry," James softly said, looking at the girl in front of him. "And for the record, you are not a freak. You are one of the most beautiful girl, no, woman, I have ever met." He stated truthfully.

Lily felt herself blush lightly and let out a soft giggle as her mouth curved. "Aw, thank you James. That was very nice of you to say."

"Aw, no compliment for me?" James pouted, jokingly as his pout turned into a large grin, causing Lily to let out another giggle. Lily was about to answer when a young woman came up to the table and smiled.

"Hello, I'm Erika and I'll be your waitress this afternoon, can I get you something to drink?" she asked, her blonde curls up in a loose bun, looking at James with a flirty look. Lily rolled her eyes and waited for him to answer.

"Erm, just a water," James said, slightly annoyed by the fact this blonde was ruining his and Lily date.

"Alright Hun, and you?" she asked, looking over at Lily, smiling sharply.

"An iced tea, please," Lily answered, smiling the same way. James noticed the ice flying through his date's eyes and couldn't help but get a little excited. Once Erika left, Lily's smile fell and she looked at James with a blank expression.

"Whoa! Lily, I didn't do anything! I swear, that girl was trying, but I did nothing, I promise." He said quickly. Lily looked at him and shrugged.

"Doesn't matter, I mean, you're not my boyfriend or anything, so why would it matter if you're flirting with another woman?"

"Because Lily," he grinned. "She's not my type. My type are the feisty, red heads." He stated, causing Lily to smile slightly and let out a laugh.

"You're just a flirt, aren't you?" she smirked, looking at him.

"That I am, but only with the ones I like are the ones I flirt with the most." He stated, grinning towards her. Lily giggled and looked back at the table as Erika came back with the drinks. She placed them both on the table and looked back at James and grinned slightly.

"You two ready to order?" she asked them both.

"Um, a burger with chips. Cheese and tomato, please." James stated. Erika nodded and wrote it down and moved to go away, but then groaned lightly and looked at Lily.

"A Caesar salad please. No chicken, extra dressing, please." Lily said lightly. Erika smirked and nodded and left. "I don't like her."

James chuckled a bit. "Aw, Lily, don't worry. I only have eyes for you." He grinned.

Lily rolled her eyes, but couldn't help giggling. "Oh really?"

"Yes, Really" James answered back, grinning. Lily let out a giggle and looked down at the table, her eyes sparkling lightly. "Aw, Lily, you okay?" he asked, reaching over and taking her hand, causing her head to jolt up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She answered, looking at him and shivering at the warmth that came from his hand on hers. She pulled it away slightly and bit her lip as she looked at him. James just smiled and sat back in his chair, his arm over the corner of the chair. They sat in an awkward silence before Erika came with the food, almost accidentally spilling the salad on Lily. "I really don't like her." She muttered angrily as she dotted at the small spot of dressing that landed on her dress.

James chuckled and ate one of his chips. "And why is that, Lily? Didn't we just go through this?" Lily shrugged and poked her fork into her salad and ate a small piece while James took a bite out of his burger.

"Shush," Lily said, smiling as she put another forkful into her mouth. James smiled back at her and continued eating.

James just grinned and kept eating. While taking another bite of his burger, he realized he and Lily were actually having fun for once and he hadn't ticked her off in a while and he smiled to himself. Then another thought came to his head. 'Ask her out.' It sounded like Sirius was speaking to him. James took a quick look towards the read-head in front of him and shook his head loose of that thought; he didn't want to ruin anything that he and Lily could possibly create.

After about 15 more minutes, they were both finished and Erika came back with the bill. She handed it towards James along with another small piece of paper, which of course, Lily saw. She raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but roll her eyes. James merely thanked her, handing her toe correct number of galleons and knuts and crumpled up the piece of paper and placed it into his water glass as Erika walked away, fuming.

Lily smiled towards him and stood up and brushed off her dress. "You know, Lily, that color looks amazing on you." James said softly as he viewed her close up. Lily blushed and smiled.

"Aw, Thank you," she giggled as she grasped her tiny black purse. "So, where to now?"

"Well, I was thinking maybe walking around the village? It is quiet beautiful in the late spring." James stated as he opened the door for Lily to exit. She nodded as she exited the café and her and James began walking. They passed all the buildings and people until they eventually came across the beaten path by a park nearby. "Want to keep walking? Or are you tired of me?" he grinned.

Lily smiled. "Whatever you would like. I'm open for anything." She stated, looking up at his nearly 6' body. James looked down and almost tripped over his own shoes. Lily's eyes were sparkling and her slightly pouted pink lips were teasing him. "James, are you okay?" she asked softly.

James barely nodded and shook his head. "Yeah, I'm okay, sorry, just spaced for a slight moment." He answered as they began walking. Lily just shrugged and began walking, her arms swinging slightly by her side. James noticed this and took his chances and grasped her right hand in his left one, earning a sharp turn of her head, but it relaxed and didn't pull away, causing James to smile hard. They began to just chit-chat about this and that until they had rounded the park and realized it was around 6 in the evening.

Lily shivered slightly at the cool air, just noticing the change in lightening. "Oh dear, this will be fun to walk in." she muttered.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" James asked.

"I need to walk to get home. I only live about half an hour away from the Leaky Cauldron by walking." She stated softly.

"Heck no will I let a pretty thing like you walk alone. We can either walk or I can a**pparate** us back to your house." James stated. Lily thought for a moment.

"Well, apparating would be great, but unfortunately, my sister's whale of a boyfriend is at my house tonight and I wouldn't want to spoke him with my "kind" of ways as Petunia puts it." Lily stated.

"then we are walking my fine flower." James stated, offering his arm.

"Why, thank you kind stranger," Lily said, faking a country accent and giggling. James had no idea what she was giggling about but smiled at her behavior and they began to walk.

After 15 minutes, they were closing in on her neighborhood and James started to think for a moment. 'See if this date softened her up you bloody idiot! Maybe she'll say yes. Do it!' he was silently egging himself on and he looked at the beauty on his right arm.

"Um, Lily?" James started, not sure how to ease into this.

"Hmm?" she answered, looking up at him slightly. James looked over and saw how innocent she looked with her hair sliding over her shoulder and her emerald eyes just looking back at him.

"Erm, well, I was just wondering if you had a nice time today."

Lily smiled. "Yes, I did have a lot of fun today. It was something I would never expect from you actually. I never knew James Potter was able to woo a girl mentally, not physically." She stated. James' eyes widened and he smiled to himself.

'She's into you!' he shouted happily in his head. "Oh, really? Well, there's something else I would like to ask you." He started as they rounded her street, the street lights being their only source of light by now, seeing as it took them a good hour and a half to get here, seeing as they walked a bit on the slow side.

"What's that?" she asked.

James took a gulp and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he realized they were probably at her house, judging by the way Lily had stopped and was leaning against the mailbox slightly. "Don't yell or get angry, but, um, will you," he paused for a moment and looked back at her, taking her hands in his. "Will you go out with me?" he asked softly.

Lily's eyes widened slightly and she could feel herself start to get excited, but not in the way she would back at Hogwarts. Then she would puff up and start a yelling match, but this time, she was calm and she smiled at him. She closed the gap between them and stood on her tip-toes, kissing his cheek softly. "Does that answer your question?" she asked when she pulled away.

James smiled and hugged her tight, spinning her around. "Yes it does. You just made me a very happy bloke." Lily giggled at this and kissed his cheek again.

"Owl me tonight? I'll be waiting…" she softly said as she smiled at him, walking towards her house backwards, so she was facing him.

"Of course I will!" he grinned, looking at his new girlfriend walking.

"Goodnight James." She softly smiled as she turned around and headed towards the door.

"Lily! Wait!" he called as he sprinted towards the door, causing Lily to turn around and look at him, waiting. James just smiled and leaned down, capturing her lips with his in a slow, romantic kiss. "Goodnight Lily."

Lily blushed and looked into his hazel eyes and smiled. "Good night James." She replied, the second time that night. She softly pushed the door open and looked inside to the hallway. "I'll wait for that owl by midnight." She said as she stepped inside her house and closed the screen door. "Oh, you can apparate right here if you want. Its dark enough. 'Night" she said as she shut the door and leaned against it, smiling.

James stood on the outside for a few moments before quickly apparating back to his place and entering it, seeing as the house had an anti-apparation spell over it. He smiled as he made his way to his room and silently patted himself on the back as he changed into more comfortable clothes and began working on his letter to Lily.

**((A/N Hello all. Well, I've decided to continue off of 'Endings bring Beginnings'. The good thing about these one-shots that I'm writing are you don't have to read the other ones to get what's going on, only few details will really be transferred from each story. Well, thanks for reading, please review? The next installment will be coming soon. Oh, and ignore any slight errors in the mechanics of the story; I currently have no beta reader and would really appreciate any volunteers))**


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